Paul and Karen Thornton, from Abergele, Conwy county, were facing eviction from their £450-a-month privately-rented home earlier this year when they were awarded £841.42 of DHP by Conwy council to help reduce arrears.

Mr Thornton, who is a carpenter and runs his own business, has struggled with work after cancer treatment left him with mobility problems.

The couple found it difficult to cover costs after their daughter moved out and the amount of housing benefit they could receive decreased.

Mrs Thornton said: "Having the DHP meant our eviction has been delayed. It's kept us here for another six months and then we might be in the same position again."

Her husband, who runs Workshop Wales, added: "I've not been sleeping, trying to run a business. I can't go to bed at night and sleep because I'm stressed out that much worrying... where am I going to be? Am I going to be turfed out?"

Shelter Cymru launched its Waste Not, Want Not campaign earlier this year to highlight its concerns and to raise awareness that people could be entitled to the additional help.

Blaenau Gwent council said it "actively promoted" the DHP scheme to residents and was committed to spending the annual allocation "where we are able".

"Any under spend is required to be sent back to the government," a spokesman added.

Wrexham council said its DHP allocation was £263,747 for 2016-17, of which £251,940 has been awarded to 97% of those who applied.

A spokesman said: "The council did refuse a handful of applications during the year, these were mainly when it was identified that the customer had sufficient income to meet any potential shortfall which they encountered or did not provide enough information for a decision to be made."

The other councils who under spent the money have been asked to comment.